Pakistan today denied reports of trade relations with Israel and vowed to investigate any alleged “export” of goods to the occupation state, with which Islamabad has no diplomatic relations.
On March 30, the American Jewish Congress (AJC) issued a statement on “Trade between the State of Israel and Pakistan,” claiming that the first shipment from the country had been received in Israel.
“This week, the first shipment of food products of Pakistani origin was unloaded in Israel, in a transaction involving the Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel Benkhald, based in the business center of Karachi, Pakistan, and three Israeli businessmen from Jerusalem and Haifa,” the statement. read.
American Jewish Conference Statement on Interstate Commerce #Israel and #Pakistan.
Link: https://t.co/Bie9NIdrwJ#American Jewish Congress #AbrahamAccords #UAE @JackRosenNYC pic.twitter.com/V724PYwwqs
— American Jewish Congress (@AJCongress) March 31, 2023
However, the spokesperson for the Foreign Office of Pakistan, Mumtaz Zahra Baloch dismissed the claims, saying “There is no change in policy,” referring to Islamabad’s position that there are no diplomatic or trade ties with Israel.
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A spokesman for the Ministry of Commerce also said “Rumours about the start of Pakistan-Israel trade are pure propaganda. We have not and have no intention of starting trade relations with Israel,” and Commerce and Trade Secretary Sualeh Ahmad Faruqui denied any export consignment address. of Israel, saying that “any claim to the contrary is nothing more than disinformation and political incitement.”
Congratulations to me as a Pakistani
I exported the first batch of Pakistani food products 🇵🇰 to the Israeli market 🇮🇱
Dates, Dry fruits, Spices one container. My video@CMShehbaz @ImranKhanPTI @BBhuttoZardari @NawazSharifMNS @MaryamNSharif @pakistan better @MiftahIsmail @tdap_official pic.twitter.com/l4KRqI4oet
— Fishel BenKhald (@Jew_Pakistani) March 28, 2023
Earlier in the week, Karachi-based Pakistani-Jewish businessman Fishel BenKhalid announced on Twitter that he had successfully exported the first batch of Pakistani products to Israel, including dates, dry fruits and spices and a department six videos purportedly displaying his foodstuffs at the Jerusalem market.
According to the Ministry of Commerce, BenKhalid’s shipment was made through the UAE in a “personal capacity” and “was not supported by the government of Pakistan and was not associated with any banking or official channel.”
Last year the Pakistani government dismissed claims of a policy shift towards Israel, following a reported visit by a “Pakistani delegation” to Israel. At the time, the Foreign Office said the visit was “organized by a foreign non-governmental organization not based in Pakistan” and that “Pakistan consistently supports the inalienable right of the Palestinian people to self-determination”.
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